The Rightful Owner – part 19

Saturday is usually still a working day for Maya but that particular day, she didn’t go to work. She requested that her scenes be shot the following week since she wasn’t feeling well. The week’s emotional turmoil was taking a toll on her. She barely had enough sleep. She just wanted to be alone and cry.

Since Thursday when she last saw and spoke to Richard, her heart was very heavy. She agreed to let him be on his own and now yet it felt like it was years since they’ve last been together. She was dying slowly with the thought that he might now come back.

If only she didn’t love him that much, then, she wouldn’t have picked up the phone to call him up. However, she just wanted to hear his voice, she needed to hear his voice.

She tried to reach him on his mobile phone but it was unattended. It has been unattended for almost a week since his arrival from the states. Then, she tried calling his landline in his condo, hoping he would be there. The phone rang several times until someone picked it up.

“Hello.” It was a woman’s voice.

“Hello?” Maya stammered in surprise. She knew she dialed the right number since it was showing her phone screen but how come it was a woman who picked up the phone.

“Hello” The woman said again.

“Ahh, Is Richard there?” Maya’s heartbeats were pounding. She didn’t want to think he was with another woman. He just told her he loves her 2 days ago. But what if in his frustration, he took another woman in bed? She was teary eyed, her heart was aching.

“Am sorry, may I know who’s calling?” The woman checked. Maya could sense she was also deciphering who she was.

“This is Maya.” She finally introduced herself. She was sure her voice broke when she said her name.

“Oh Maya, yes. You are Richard’s girlfriend. This is Raffi. He’s not here right now. Actually, he is on vacation. Hindi mo ba ma-contact?” It sounded strange that Maya didn’t know where Richard was.
“Hindi eh, that’s why I tried his landline.” Maya responded with a better control of her voice. She wondered why Raffi was staying in his condo unit.

“Why don’t you check with James, he might know.” Raffi told her in excited tone. She was oblivious of what’s happening between the them. “Alam mo Maya, Richard told me a lot about you. Mahal na mahal ka ni Ricky. I’m so happy for the two of you.” She continued.

As soon as Maya put down the phone receiver, she had renewed hope with Richard. Regardless what Raffi’s role is in Richard life, she loves him very much and she will not give up on him. She may have agreed to give him time to sort things out, but she will not wait for him sitting down. She knew the cause of their problem and she would address the issue herself.

She called up Emman to let him know that she would like to be interviewed by ABN’s Sunday showbiz talk show. After talking about the details of the interview, she called up James to ask for his help. She was fortunate that she got thru his phone.

“Saan?” James was surprised. “Naghahanapan na naman ba kayo? Akala ko nagka-ayos na kayo last Thursday? Ano ba talagang nangyayari sa inyo?” Since seeing Maya last Thursday, James knew there was something wrong with the two and it looked like his brother was the one running away from their problem. So, he couldn’t help but blurt out his observations. He remembered her gloomy face when she entered his office and then later that morning she had bright hopeful eyes when Richard told him they will talk in his room.

This is an all too familiar scenario that happened years ago for James. It was the same thing with Alex when Richard was still dating her. But instead of helping them resolve their issue, he took the opportunity to steal her away from his brother. And now, it was happening again. However this time, he will not repeat the same mistake. He has seen that the two are very much in love with each other. He will not stand in their way.

“Maya, I don’t actually know where he is right now. But I will help you. I will call you later, okay?” He promised her.

“James, thank you ha.” After her call with James, Maya dressed up for her interview later that afternoon.

~*~

The same Saturday, Glan, Sarangani Province

The sunbeams were slowly losing its intense color of orange, red, yellow as the dark hue of indigo was creeping in the sky. If the sun was scorching hot at mid afternoon, the temperature was easing up. The birds were flying over the sea returning to their nests. The sun was slowly sinking into the ocean signaling another end of a day.

After three days in his sanctuary, a beach house in Sarangani province, he had a better perspective of his feelings. More than ever, he loves her. His life is incomplete without her.

He was seated on the beach lounge watching the sunset when an elderly woman appeared on his side.

“Ricky, anak” She gently touched his shoulder.

“Manang Fe.” He turned and smiled at her. In front of him was his nanny since he was born. She practically brought him up especially when his father died when he was five years old and his mother concentrated on their family business. She later on became James’s nanny too.

“Manang, bakit ganu’n? Mahal ko s’ya at may tiwala ako sa kanya pero nasasaktan pa rin ako kahit sinabi n’yang it was just a goodbye hug and that it was over between them years ago.” He confided to Manang Fe as he let her take a seat beside him.

“Ah yun po? Dumating kasi Raffi from the States that day may class reunion daw sila. I promised her that I’d see her that day. So, napilitan akong bumalik sa Manila. She’s actually staying in my condo right now since nandito naman ako.”

Later that night, Richard called up the airlines for available tickets back to Manila. He could go via Gen. Santos City or take Davao as what he did a week ago. And another thought came to his mind, he should start thinking of opening a Manila – GSC or Manila – Davao T.A. flight.

~*~

Sunday

Sunday, 6:55 a.m., Maya and James were on board PAL653 bound for Gen. Santos City. In less than two hours time, they should be arriving at the Phils.’ tuna capital and from there, they will take a land trip to the town of Glan, Sarangani.

During the flight, Maya asked James the same question she asked several times earlier. “James are you sure he is there?”

“Syempre, magiging Ate kaya kita. Alangan naman I let you travel on your own to a place you’ve never been to. What if something happens to you? Eh di nalintikan ako sa Kuya kong tigre.” They both laughed.

When the plane landed, Maya’s heart began to thump. She was getting closer to seeing him again. Suddenly she felt ambivalent, what if he didn’t want to see her. What if in two days time, he realized that he didn’t want to be with her anymore and he was giving up. But she wasn’t giving up without a fight.

Even if Maya was wearing sunglasses as they disembarked from the plane and walked to the arrival area, James sensed her nervousness. “Don’t worry, he won’t turn you away. And if he does, I will be there, Sis.” He gave her a reassuring smile.

The drive to Glan, Saranggani took almost 1 ½ hours. They were in a van driven by Manong Bebot, Richard’s driver.

As Maya looked out the window to observe the scenery they passed by, she thought that Richard must like the simplicity and beauty of provincial living for him to choose a vacation in this area. It was far down southern Philippines.

Eventually, they entered an unpaved road with a gate that had a sign “Private Property.” Upon entering the property, Manong Bebot closed the gate and continued to slowly drive into the yard until they stopped in a modest two story house made of hard wood. A lot of fruit bearing trees surrounded the house and Maya saw the beach from their distance.
As soon as they got out of the car, Manang Fe met them.

“James, anak, long time no see.” Manang Fe and James hugged showing their fondness for each other.

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